| Still curious about Rutgers-Nebraska comparisons, I | | | | the Jim Thorpe Lifetime Achievement Award. |
| stumbled on a short biography of former Nebraska | | | | Presented by the Jim Thorpe Association without |
| football coach Tom Osborne in a book I just finished | | | | consideration of athletic accomplishments, the award |
| called 100 Heroes: People in Sports Who Make This a | | | | recognizes a lifetime of achievement by people who |
| Better World. | | | | "set the living examples that influence others to strive |
| It led me to collect a little more information about this | | | | for the highest goals and leadership of men, and who |
| Hall of Fame coach, which I'd like to share with the | | | | blaze the trails of accomplishments which leave behind |
| online audience. The Rutgers 1000 really picked the | | | | the pathways of tradition for others to follow." |
| wrong school to pick on. | | | | Osborne is one of only seven men and women who |
| First, are Osborne's football accomplishments, after 25 | | | | have received this award since the Association was |
| years as head coach at the University of Nebraska. | | | | founded in 1986. |
| - Two undisputed national titles | | | | Only 40, Rutgers' coach Greg Schiano is a young man; |
| - 25 Top 15 rankings | | | | he has plenty of time to build an equally impressive |
| - 12 Big Eight Conference titles | | | | resume. He is well on his way, not only because he |
| - 1 Big 12 Conference title | | | | has helped turn around a football program, but also |
| - 255 career wins | | | | because he is well aware of the students and the |
| More interesting were his accomplishments off the | | | | community around him. |
| field. Osborne came to Nebraska in 1960, not only as | | | | Being a Rutgers football season ticket holder, I can |
| an assistant coach, but also as the team's first | | | | give one small example. At the close of last week's |
| academic counselor. Thirty years later, his teams had | | | | game, a decisive win, Coach Schiano brought his team |
| compiled an 82 percent graduation rate; that's higher | | | | over to the student section of the stadium to join their |
| than the regular student bodies at most colleges and | | | | classmates and the chorus in the singing of "On the |
| universities in the country, let alone football players. | | | | Banks of the Old Raritan," Rutgers' alma mater. It |
| Nebraska has graduated 65 Academic All American | | | | meant a lot to see our team celebrate the win with |
| football players since 1962, an outstanding | | | | their fellow students, as if they were a "12th man" on |
| performance as well. As of 2006, nine years since | | | | the field. This is only one of the small details I've seen |
| Osborne's retirement from coaching, Nebraska football | | | | since Greg Schiano became our coach, and it's only on |
| had an 88 percent graduation rate, best in their | | | | the football field. I know other fans know more. |
| conference. | | | | Rutgers took a chance on Greg Schiano, much the |
| Osborne and his wife Nancy also started a statewide | | | | same as Nebraska did with Tom Osborne. They |
| mentoring program called Husker TeamMates, which | | | | brought on a young man who understood the |
| has 73 active chapters and neighboring Iowa. | | | | importance of having quality people put a quality |
| TeamMates started in 1991 when twenty-two Husker | | | | product on the field. According to the American |
| football players met with middle school students in the | | | | Football Coaches Association, Rutgers has posted a |
| Lincoln Public Schools. Coach Osborne felt that the | | | | three-year NCAA Academic Performance Rate |
| athletes in his program could make an impact on the | | | | (APR) of 971, the best mark of any state university |
| middle school students. | | | | nationally as well as the top mark of any school in its |
| According to its website, TeamMates has successful | | | | conference. |
| partnerships with local school districts from the largest | | | | I hope the Rutgers 1000's Hubie Cornpone award died |
| urban schools to some of the smallest and most | | | | when the organization did. Nebraska provides a model |
| isolated rural schools, matching a student with an adult | | | | for the kind of football program most universities, and |
| volunteer mentor to provide one hour of individual | | | | their community, would love to have. They deserve a |
| mentoring each week during the school year. Activities | | | | lot more than to be the butt of stupid and ignorant |
| during the mentoring hour range from homework | | | | comments such as those that were made by my |
| assignments to sharing common interests or simply | | | | fellow members of the Rutgers community. |
| engaging in conversation. This year, over 3,000 youths, | | | | New Jerseyans, more than others, should appreciate |
| grades 4-12, have mentors through TeamMates. | | | | what it feels like to be the butt of jokes. I know I've |
| In 2000, Osborne was elected to Congress with 80 | | | | heard "which exit?" and comments about dirty |
| percent of the vote from his Lincoln district. That year, | | | | factories a few times too often. |
| he became the first college football coach to receive | | | | If you live in the Garden State, I'm sure you have too. |